Govt panel to hike fellowship for science research

The central government has formed a 9-member panel to find out new ways to reward young scholars carrying out quality scientific research and how to increase their fellowship in a regular periodicity.

The committee would be co-chaired by the Secretary, Department of Science and Technology and Secretary, Department of Higher Education.

Others in the panel include top officials from the science departments, University Grants Commission, Jagadish Kumar, Vice Chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University and V Ramgopal Rao, director, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

Setting up of the empowered panel was one of the promises that the government made to research scholars who were on protest in science institutes since the last six months demanding better pay.

Last week, the government announced a paltry 24% raise in their fellowship, which didn't satisfy thousands of students doing doctoral and post-doctoral studies.

“The committee is empowered to deal with all issues towards making Ph.D programme more attractive as well as effective for young students to pursue their research at various academic institutions and research laboratories,” says the February 2 order issued by the Department of Science and Technology.

The idea of creating a panel to look for innovative ways to reward a research scholar was thought of after the initial DST proposal – of a 4% rise in the fellowship every year – was turned down by the Union Finance Ministry.

A quick solution from the empowered panel, however, is unlikely as the inter-ministerial committee on doctoral research has been given three years to submit its report.